Advice From a Veteran
by Deathbistereo95
Summary: Just some friendly advice from an old hunter to a newbie. Mentions of Sam and Dean, but no involvement.


Hunters could always spot each other. It wasn't that hard to spot a newbie or a veteran. They always had that haunted look and wore thicker attire. Hunters also frequented local bars as they passed through towns. There were a few veterans at the bar, cooling off after clearing out a vamp nest. That's when they spotted the newbie come through the door. She was about five and a half feet tall with no impressive physical attributes. Three of the men scoffed as she walked up to the bar. Harry, the oldest one there, shushed them. There weren't many women hunters, but just knowing the Harvelle's made him think better. It was too bad what had happened to that family, damn good people as well as hunters. The woman couldn't be more than twenty-five, but she wore that same look. She'd been through hell, and that's what made most people hunters. There was no doing it because of the good of humanity. Granted hunters saved people, but they never started this particular career path with good intent. Harry scooted away from the group and down the counter. Better to get to know the rookie and help, rather than letting her get killed sooner. No hunter died of old age, a sad fact, but true.  
Harry took a sip of his beer and noticed she had whiskey in front of her. Must have been a tough day at the office. "What was it?" Harry asked, shocking the young woman out of her thoughts. "I'm sorry. What are you talking about?" The woman asked, obviously haven't gained the skill of spotting other hunters yet. Harry took a good look at this girl, and she was way too young. God, she might not even be twenty like he originally thought. A plus of the business is the fake IDs. She was a brunette with a button nose and full lips, reminding Harry too much of his own daughter. "What were you hunting? And don't say you don't know what I'm talking about. I know," Harry reiterated to the girl. She took a deep breath and answered, "Ghouls."  
Harry nodded, those were always a tough hunt. "Involved kids?" He asked, confirming suspicions.  
"How'd you know?" She asked, astounded by the hunter's intuition.  
"It's the way you look. Hunts with kids are always the worst. Did you get 'em?" Harry asked her.  
"Yeah," she whispered a reply, not seeming happy with results.  
"That's all that matters. You saved who you could. You can't save everyone, the faster you learn this the longer you'll lived. You do a job and move on, save who you can," Harry told her, trying to get the point across. This was a job like any other, and sometimes bad things happen on the job. "Thanks. My name's Jill, what's yours?" The girl asked him, seeming to have loosened up a bit.  
"Harry Wells. It's nice to meet you Jill," Harry greeted her, holding out a hand that she shook.  
"So, how long have you been doing this Harry?" Jill asked, downing her whiskey, and then called for a beer.  
"Long time, and you?" Harry asked, equally curious.  
"About four months," she answered, biting her lip and playing with her beer bottle. Harry nodded, she was very fresh, but she wasn't dead yet.  
"Well, if you want to live to see the next few years I suggest getting a partner. Most hunters do the solo act, but the best have partners. At least for difficult hunts. Pack an arsenal for various creatures, keep up on your research, and make friends," Harry told the young woman, doing his best to give her the basics. "Friends?" Jill asked, looking up with big brown innocent eyes. It made Harry's heart hurt just looking at 'em.  
"You make connections in the hunting community. Here, I'll even start you out with my number and Bobby Singer's. He's good for research questions and he can also send back up if you're hurting on a case. Whatever you do though, avoid the Winchester's," Harry told the girl and handed her the numbers.  
"Who are the Winchester's?" She asked with those big eyes, fingering the paper with the phone numbers.  
"They're famous in the hunting community. Word has it that they can't die, but everyone around them does. Sooner or later people die, good people. Word also has it that the little brother started the apocalypse. The older brother went to Hell, but now he's topside. The point is that if you see them, leave town. Doesn't matter that you're working a case, you leave. Can you do that, please? I've seen too many people foolishly lose their lives," Harry begged her, she looked too much like Becky. His sweet little Becky. Jill looked up at him, confusion marring her features, but she did nod in compliance. "Hey Harry!" The group called as they headed out the door. Harry gave them a wave, signaling he was almost done. "Be safe, and if you can, get out," was the last words Harry said to the girl before he left the bar.

The apocalypse had come and gone. Dean Winchester had retired for a year, and Sam was rumored to be dead, again. Then the leviathans came, Sam and Dean stopped them. The angels were warring in Heaven, but no other hunters knew that, save Bobby. When Bobby died and Dean disappeared the world seemed to stop for hunters. Garth took up after Bobby and Sam left for a year just as Dean had. Jill knew all of this from rumors and sightings from other hunters. Poor Martin had died from hunting a vampire with the Winchester's. That was after Dean Winchester came back from wherever he'd been. Jill heard these stories and heeded the warning of the Winchester boys, the boys who couldn't be killed, the boys who people said had angels on their shoulders and others said had made a deal with the Devil himself. Jill had gotten done with a rugaru just outside of Austin when she got the call from Andy. Harry had died during a werewolf hunt. She looked up at the sky and shed tears. Then it looked as if there was a meteor shower. "I did what you asked Harry, and I lived to see a few more years. I got an arsenal in my trunk, a partner on difficult hunts, I kept up on my research, I made friends, and I stayed away from the Winchester boys. I'm sorry that it ended this way, but no hunter lives forever and you taught me that," the now woman and accomplished hunter said to the Heavens. Jill remembered Harry till the day she died. The day when the angels fell, and the Winchester boys were saving each other and the angel on their shoulder lost everything. When they found her truck, there wasn't much left nor of her. She did her best, and died thinking of an old hunter who thought of nothing but her since that day in the bar. His beautiful little Becky, may she find peace when the lights go out.


End file.
